Motorcycle accident statistics

**Waxxa** · 26th February 2008, 16:10

Thought this was interesting research on motorbike accidents (sourced from the Draggin' Jeans website).

http://www.cs.wisc.edu/%7Ejohn/vfr/hurt.html

**Radar** · 27th February 2008, 09:46

Originally Posted by Waxxa

Thought this was interesting research on motorbike accidents.

http://www.cs.wisc.edu/%7Ejohn/vfr/hurt.html

Good stuff. Thanks. Here is what I found noteworthy, with my comments in green:

In the single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was present as the accident precipitating factor in about two-thirds of the cases, with the typical error being a slideout and fall due to overbraking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.
The basics: Practice cornering. Slow in and faster out if safe. No need for brakes if you don't go in too fast.

In the multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents.
Shiite! Not much we can do except drive defensively. As a KB said, "Drive as though everyone is out to kill you."

The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. ...Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets.
Does anyone wear brightly coloured vests? No - because it looks dorky?? From a KB poll I think over 90% of us have our headlamps on.

Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with shopping, errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident is likely to happen in a very short time close to the trip origin. So much for saying to yourself "Don't need my MC jacket cuz I'm only going to the shops."

Motorcycle rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to reduced injuries in the event of accidents.
Anyone know the cost of a MC training course in the Wellington area, and is it mainly for beginners or still worthwhile for experienced riders?

Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot, lower leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.
Anyone wear MX knee / shin protectors?

The most deadly injuries to the accident victims were injuries to the chest and head.
Anyone wear MX chest-back armour?

You are in greater danger in urban areas than out on the road, even though you may be traveling faster in a rural area.
Take the car to the shops...

The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is approximately 86 mph.
I'll leave this one wide open to KB witticism...

**Ragingrob** · 27th February 2008, 09:53

+1 For the summary Radar!

.

Interesting read.

**Ragingrob** · 27th February 2008, 10:08

42. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using safety helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.

Holy shit what the fcuk!

31. Any effect of motorcycle color on accident involvement is not determinable from these data, but is expected to be insignificant because the frontal surfaces are most often presented to the other vehicle involved in the collision.

Yeah so headlights on is definitely the winner on the day!

Driving a car makes you a safer motorcyclist, possibly because it lets you understand the enemy.

Interesting point, I guess you make your enemies your closest friends huh!

A cheapo $70 helmet offers protection very close to what you get from a $300 helmet with similar coverage.

Wow! So the difference would be what? How comfortable it is, ventilation, visors and the such maybe?

**MSTRS:Me** · 27th February 2008, 10:21

Originally Posted by Radar

Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with shopping, errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident is likely to happen in a very short time close to the trip origin. So much for saying to yourself "Don't need my MC jacket cuz I'm only going to the shops."

The same is true of cage accidents. Aren't most within 5kms of home? And isn't this because that area is the one most frequented by the 'participants'?
As for bikes, I'd hazard a guess and say that most accidents in this area are the fault of the other motorist...or the bike has cold tyres/rider failed to avoid painted lines?

**DMNTD:Me** · 27th February 2008, 10:24

Originally Posted by MSTRS

..or the bike has cold tyres/rider failed to avoid painted lines?

...or diesel

**James Deuce** · 27th February 2008, 10:34

Originally Posted by Ragingrob

A cheapo $70 helmet offers protection very close to what you get from a $300 helmet with similar coverage.

Wow! So the difference would be what? How comfortable it is, ventilation, visors and the such maybe?

Still haven't read that report I keep posting, eh? They're actually often superior in terms of protection capability because they transfer less force to your skull in the BIG impacts.

Apart from the comments about training and helmets they keep forgetting to mention the difference betwen fault/blame and responsibility. I haven't had an accident yet that I wasn't responsible for. I may not have been at fault for any of them, but I was responsible for them.

**Radar** · 27th February 2008, 10:49

Originally Posted by Jim2

I haven't had an accident yet that I wasn't responsible for. I may not have been at fault for any of them, but I was responsible for them.

If all cagers and MCers had your insight and maturity, there would hardly be any accidents except for the likes of diesel, rocks, etc.

**tri boy** · 27th February 2008, 11:01

Originally Posted by Ragingrob

A cheapo $70 helmet offers protection very close to what you get from a $300 helmet with similar coverage.

Wow! So the difference would be what? How comfortable it is, ventilation, visors and the such maybe?

This was told to me years back.
Basically, spinal/neck injury's are the most common fatal injury related to the head area.
They could build/market a helmet that could stop most high speed impacts to the skull, (even a bullet) but you will probably die of a broken neck/spinal cord in such lnstances any way. Morbid, but quite accurate.

**Ocean1** · 27th February 2008, 11:20

23. More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less than 5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total street riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt bike experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.

3 years compulsary dirt based training.

Pity there's less and less legal places to practice init?

**Trouser** · 27th February 2008, 11:21

Originally Posted by Ragingrob

42. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using safety helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.

Holy shit what the fcuk!

Bloody Americans. So what we can gather from that is, no helmet = more likely to have accident. Possibly because of underlying stupidity.

**Badjelly** · 27th February 2008, 11:30

Here are a few things I noticed:

19. ... female motorcycles riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident data.

This surprises me.

23. ... Motorcycle riders with dirt bike experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.

Ocean1 has already caught that one.

37. Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure; the reduction of injury to the ankle-foot is balanced by increase of injury to the thigh-upper leg, knee, and lower leg.

Does anyone remember crash bars? I think I had some on the CB175: they were steel bars bolted to the front frame tube designed to protect ... actually I'm not sure whether they were designed to protect the rider or the bike. They might have given some benefit in a low-speed lowside, but they would also have been great at setting the bike tumbling in a higher-speed crash. I can't believe I ever thought they were a good idea!

**Ocean1** · 27th February 2008, 11:41

42. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using safety helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders were wearing helmets at the time of the accident.

Originally Posted by Trouser

So what we can gather from that is, no helmet = more likely to have accident.

20% less likely, in fact.

Which is inneresting, less risk-averse without one perhaps?

Note the data doesn't specify consequencial outcomes, just incidences.

**Radar** · 27th February 2008, 13:14

Does anyone wear shin/knee guards, or spinal/chest armour while road riding?

I met a rider last week who wore shin/knee guards - he got these after a boy racer came too close, hitting his mirror, and he was knocked off but lucky he was not going fast and on a residential street.

**Radar** · 27th February 2008, 13:18

Originally Posted by Badjelly

Here are a few things I noticed:

19. ... female motorcycles riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident data.

This surprises me.

This took me awhile, but here is my take on it: Maybe women try to keep up with the guys but do not have the experience. I also seem to remember scientific evidence that showed men/boys have better [spatial-mechanical-or-whatever-it-was] skills than women/girls.

Before I get smacked, I am talking about women in general as per the statistic above; obviously there are some superb women riders.